Chaparral Whitethorn
‘Ipuwii
‘Iipay Aa name: ‘ipuwii
Common name: chapparal whitethorn
Scientific name: Ceanothus leucodermis
Chaparral whitethorn, or ‘ipuwii in ‘Iipay Aa, is an evergreen shrub that grows to about thirteen feet tall and up to seven feet wide. It has thorns that grow on gray-white waxy stems. The stems have a slightly fuzzy texture; this helps to absorb moisture and reflect light and heat away from the plant. The small, oval leaves are a blue-green color. In the winter and spring, the flowers can range from white, to lavender, or bluish in color.
Photo courtesy of Anthony Valois, NPS.
Chaparral whitethorn provides food for many animals. It produces a small sticky fruit in a three lobed capsule. The fruit and the shrub’s young leaves are eaten by birds, caterpillars, and small mammals. The seeds are eaten by rabbits, quail, ground squirrels, and woodrats.
Kumeyaay People have used the flowers for a light shampoo and the root for thread.